Toy monorail trolley systems



Jan. 7, 1964 -r. K. LIVERSIDGE ETAL 3,116,699

TOY MONORAIL TROLLEY SYSTEMS Filed July 2, 1962 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR5 THOMAS /C L/VE/PS/DGE Jan. 7, 1964 -r. K. LIVERSIDGE ETAL 3,

TOY MONORAIL TROLLEY SYSTEMS Filed July 2, 1962 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 F/GIJ INVENTORS moms 1r. uvms/oae' l-MNS L NGENFELDEE ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,116,699 TOY MONORAIL TROLLEY SYSTEMS Thomas K. Liversidge, Wayne, 'Pa. Harmonie Reed Corp., 1111 Lancaster Ave., Rosemont, Pa.), and Hans Lingenfelder, Wawa, Pa.; said Lingeufelder assignor to Harmonic Reed Corporation, Rosemont, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Filed July 2, 1962, Ser. No. 206,692 8 Claims. (C. 104-93) This invention relates to toy monorail trolley systems.

It is the principal object of the present invention to provide a toy monorail trolley system having improved driving and suspension devices for vehicles used with such systems.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a toy monorail trolley system in which the vehicle is adapted to pick up and carry articles and discharge the same as desired.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a toy monorail trolley system having improved trolley suspension and driving means for a monorail vehicle.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a self powered toy monorail vehicle having an improved suspension and driving means.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a toy monorail vehicle having manually operable members exterior of the vehicle which may be moved to a position to discharge articles or cargo from the vehicle.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a toy monorail vehicle having a manually accessible switch operator for controlling the energization of the driving motor.

Other objects and advantageous features of the invention will be apparent from the description and claims.

The nature and characteristic features of the present invention will be more readily understood from the following description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings forming a part thereof, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a closed track toy monorail system showing a vehicle in operating position;

FIG. 2 is a side view showing a toy monorail vehicle in operating position adjacent a track supporting stanchion;

FIG. 3 is a section substantially on the line 33 of FIG. 2, looking in the direction of the arrows; and

FIG. 4 is a horizontal section through the vehicle, on the line 4-4 of FIG. 2, looking in the direction of the arrows.

It should, of course, be understood that the description and drawings herein are illustrative merely, and that various modifications and changes may be made in the structure disclosed without departing from the spirit of the invention.

Like numerals refer to like parts throughout the several views.

Referring now to the drawings, the toy monorail system is shown in FIG. 1 with a circular conformation of track system shown generally at 10.

The track system comprises a continuous arrangement of track rail 11 which may comprise a strip of vulcanized fiber or other suitable non-conductive material with its opposite face portions vertical. The track rail can be supported in any desired manner such as on a plurality of tripod type standards 12. One upwardly and rearwardly inclined leg 13 of a standard 12 extends upwardly beyond the junction with the other legs 14 and 15 as at 16 and has a forwardly angled section 17. The upper end 18 of the forwardly angled section 17 is extended generally horizontally in the direction of the angularity of the section 17. Each of the end portions 18 is provided with a slot 19 to accommodate the track rail 11 and retain the same by frictional engagement.

3,116,699 Patented Jan. 7, 1964 The track rail 11 supports a trolley device 20 from which a vehicle 21 is suspended by means of a hanger 22.

The trolley device 20 comprises a boxlike frame or housing having sides 23 and 24 and a top 25. A pair of pins 26 and 27 rotatably support grooved trolley wheels 28 and 29, respectively. An electric motor 30 is mounted in the trolley device and has a downwardly extending drive shaft 31. A belt 32, which may be a rubber band, connects the drive shaft 31 with a grooved pulley 33 on the trolley wheel 28, whereby the trolley device may be propelled upon rotation of the wheel 28 in engagement on the track.

The vehicle 21 comprises a body 34 of generally circular cross section tapered toward either end and having a substantially boxlike belly portion 35. The vehicle body 34 is made in upper and lower sections 34a and 34b respectively. In the lower portion 34b of the body 34 there are mounted spring contactors 36, 37, for holding an electric battery 38, such as a flashlight cell. A rotatable switch 39 carried by the body 34 and having an exteriorly disposed manually accessible portion 39a is provided. The switch 39 has a contactor 40 adapted to contact the contactor 41 on one end of the spring contactor 37. Wires 42 and 43 connect the contactor 36 and the switch contactor 40 with suitable terminals on the motor 30.

The elongated bottom plate 44 of the belly portion 35 is slotted longitudinally as at 45 and is slightly upwardly and rearwardly inclined. An article carrier 46 having an enlarged head 47 rests on the plate 44 to support an article 48 adapted to be picked up, carried and discharged, as desired.

On one or more of the standards 12, on the leg 13, there is placed a platform 49, suitably attached to the leg 13. The platform 49 has vertical guides 50, 51 on its side edges and forms, with the platform 49, a trough to prevent dropping of a discharged article. An L-shaped lever 52, having a handle 53 and a stop board 54, is pivoted at 55 on the shelf or platform 49 for manual positioning to control the disengaging and discharge of article carriers 46.

A ladder 56 can be placed adjacent the leg 13 on which the platform 49 is mounted, and may be attached to the leg 13 and the platform 49.

The mode of operation will now be pointed out.

Upon movement of the switch 39 to operating position the motor 30 is energized and drives the shaft 31, and this is effective for driving the wheel 28 through the belt 32. The vehicle 21 is propelled along the path provided by the track rail 11.

If the vehicle 21 advances to a platform 49 upon which one or more article carriers 46 have been placed the bottom plate 44 advances with the slot 45 thereof aligned with the article carriers 46. The article carriers are picked up by the engagement of the heads 47 on the top faces of the plate 44 on each side of the slot 45.

As the vehicle 21 advances it carries the article carriers 46 with it, aided by the incline of the plate 44.

If now it is desired to engage and discharge the article carriers 46 the lever 52 is positioned so that the stop board 54 is interposed in the path of the article carriers 46 on the vehicle 21. The forward movement of the vehicle 21 causes the article carriers 46 to be ejected from the slot 45 and retained on the platform 49.

If it is desired to again pick up article carriers 46 the lever 52 is turned to a position such that the board 54 is removed from its article pick up restraining position.

We claim:

1. In a monorail trolley system, a track rail, a plurality of standards supporting said track rail, a monorail trolley member above said track rail having track rail engaging wheels mounted thereon, driving means in said trolley member for at least one of said wheels, a suspension member depending from said trolley member, a monorail vehicle below said track rail attached to said suspension member, means in said vehicle for supplying energy to said driving means, and exteriorly accessible control means carried by said vehicle for said supplying means, said driving means comprising an electric motor having driving connections with said driving means, and said means supplying energy to said driving means comprising at least one suitable cell for supplying an 2. In a monorail trolley system, a track rail, a plurality of standards supporting said track rail, a monorail trolley member above said track rail having track rail engaging wheels mounted thereon, driving means for at least one of said wheels, a suspension member depending from said trolley member, a monorail vehicle below said rail attached to said suspension member, means for energizing said driving means, and means on said vehicle for releasably supporting an article carrier, said last means having a longitudinal elongated portion open at both ends for article carrier pick up at one end, for article carrier discharge at the other end, and for article carrier storage therebetween.

3. In a monorail trolley system, a track rail, a plurality of standards supporting said track rail, a monorail trolley member above said track rail having track rail engaging wheels mounted thereon, an electric motor in said trolley member, driving connections from said motor to at least one of said wheels, a suspension member depending from said trolley member, a monorail vehicle below said rail attached to said suspension member, means in said vehicle for supplying electrical energy to said motor, and means on said vehicle for releasably supporting an article carrier, said last means having a longitudinal elongated portion open at both ends for article carrier pick-up at one end, for article carrier discharge at the other end, and for article carrier storage therebetween.

4. The system as defined in claim 3 wherein one standard has a horizontal portion, said horizontal portion is provided with a substantially vertical slot for receiving the track rail, and wherein the track rail comprises a strip of insulating material of elongated rectangular cross section.

5. The structure as defined in claim 3 wherein said longitudinal portion of said article carrier supporting means comprises a shelf in the lower portion of the vehicle having a slight upward and rearward inclination with a longitudinal slot in said shelf extending the full length thereof and wherein said article carrier comprises a member passing through said slot and having a head riding on said shelf.

6. The structure as defined in claim 3 wherein article receiving means is provided comprising a platform mounted on one of said standards and wherein article discharging means is provided comprising a substantially L-shaped lever pivoted on said platform, one arm of which is adapted to be moved into the path of said article carrier, whereby said article carrier will be removed by forward movement of said vehicle.

7. In a monorail trolley system, a track rail, a plurality of standards supporting said track rail, a monorail trolley member above said track rail having track rail engaging wheels mounted thereon, an electric motor in said trolley member, driving connections from said motor to at least one of said wheels, a suspension bar depending from said trolley member, a monorail vehicle below said track rail attached to said suspension bar, a source of electric energy in said vehicle for supplying energy to said motor, means on said vehicle including a portion extending the full length thereof for releasably supporting an article carrier, said portion having a slot therealong for passage of the article carrier, article carrier engaging and discharge means on one of said standards, movable into alignment with said slot, and article receiving means on said standard.

8. The structure as defined in claim 7 wherein the article receiving means comprises a platform mounted on said one of said standards, and wherein said article discharging means comprises a substantially L-shaped lever pivoted on said platform, one arm of which is adapted to be moved into alignment with said slot and the path of said article carrier, whereby said article carrier will be removed by forward movement of said vehicle.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 591,221 Lane Oct. 5, 1897 925,179 Harris June 15, 1909 1,133,100 Clayton et al Mar. 23, 1915 1,220,457 Reese Mar. 27, 1917 1,490,125 OLeary Apr. 15, 1924 2,609,413 Nemeth Sept. 2, 1952 2,633,087 Had away Mar. 31, 1953 2,903,974 Smith Sept. 15, 1959 3,041,983 Liversidge et al July 3, 1962 FOREIGN PATENTS 144,970 Australia Feb. 5, 1952 

1. IN A MONORAIL TROLLEY SYSTEM, A TRACK RAIL, A PLURALITY OF STANDARDS SUPPORTING SAID TRACK RAIL, A MONORAIL TROLLEY MEMBER ABOVE SAID TRACK RAIL HAVING TRACK RAIL ENGAGING WHEELS MOUNTED THEREON, DRIVING MEANS IN SAID TROLLEY MEMBER FOR AT LEAST ONE OF SAID WHEELS, A SUSPENSION MEMBER DEPENDING FROM SAID TROLLEY MEMBER, A MONORAIL VEHICLE BELOW SAID TRACK RAIL ATTACHED TO SAID SUSPENSION MEMBER, MEANS IN SAID VEHICLE FOR SUPPLYING ENERGY TO SAID DRIVING MEANS, AND EXTERIORLY ACCESSIBLE CONTROL MEANS CARRIED BY SAID VEHICLE FOR SAID SUPPLYING MEANS, SAID DRIVING MEANS COMPRISING AN ELECTRIC MOTOR HAVING DRIVING CONNECTIONS WITH SAID DRIVING MEANS, AND SAID MEANS SUPPLYING ENERGY TO SAID DRIVING MEANS COMPRISING AT LEAST ONE SUITABLE CELL FOR SUPPLYING AN E.M.F. 